Design Awards 2019: best of the rest

Best disco divas
Get into the groove and throw some shapes

This year’s designs inspired us to step onto the dance floor and take our furniture for a spin. Samuel Accoceberry’s angular desk for Flexform makes for a dynamic welcome to our party space: carved from lacquered solid ash and marble, the console rotates to adapt to different purposes and spaces. On top of it is Jordi Canudas’ ‘Dipping’ light for Marset, created by dipping a blown glass bulb into paint several times to achieve a unique striped effect. Next to the disco floor is perched Piero Lissoni’s ‘Eda-Mame’ sofa for B&B Italia, its curvaceous, bean- inspired forms creating the perfect place to pause between sets. And our club would not have been complete without a piece from the Disco Gufram collection: designed by Dutch artist collective Rotganzen, the ‘After Party’ cabinet features a disco ball melting over a lacquered cupboard. We feel love. Writer: Rosa Bertoli

‘Benjamin’ desk, €8,740, by Samuel Accoceberry, for Flexform. ‘Dipping’ light, £980, by Jordi Canudas, for Marset. ‘After Party’ cabinet, €11,700, by Rotganzen, for Gufram. ‘Eda-Mame’ sofa, £5,148, by Piero Lissoni, for B&B Italia. ‘Bell Twist’ carpet in Cajun Spice, £40 per sq m, by Brintons. Interiors: Matthew Morris

Best finishing touch
We love a good ending

The first ‘Octo’ watch was designed in the 1990s by Swiss watch brand Gérald Genta. Like its eponymous founder, the Genta studio was adept at shapeshifting, melding the circular bezel and angular case of the ‘Octo’ in a blend of jeweller-style finishes. Bulgari acquired the Genta business in 1999 and ever since has been honing his instincts for geometric play with verve and style. For its ‘Octo Finissimo Automatic’, Bulgari spurned a traditional gold finish in favour of an industrial approach. The watch’s 18ct-rose-gold case and bracelet is sandblasted, infusing the metal with a uniquely modern, machine-like gleam. We’ve put it firmly in the spotlight using Canadian designer Tom Chung’s ‘Beam’ lamp for Muuto, which shares the sleek industrial finish of the ‘Octo Finissimo’. Featuring a rotating base and an anodised aluminium body, it can shed light from either end and the brightness can be altered with a playful twist of a dial. Brilliant from start to finish. Writer: Caragh McKay

‘Octo Finissimo Automatic’ watch, £37,700, by Bulgari. ‘Beam’ lamp, £179, by Tom Chung, for Muuto. Interiors: Matthew Morris

Best repurpose
We’re saving all our love for these sustainably minded brands

Thoughtful designers have been integrating leftover materials into their work for years, but the results aren’t always as alluring as these. OAO Works’ ’31.3 Polygon’ glassware is the result of a collaboration with a Czech glassmaker, who uses ancient colour formulas to make pieces and then supplies OAO Works with his leftovers. These pieces are used to make glasses and prisms in shapes derived from a mathematical problem known as five-fold tiling. Kvadrat’s ‘Re-wool’ has a simpler concept: a blend of 45 per cent new wool and 45 per cent leftover wool with 10 per cent nylon, it’s both smart and durable. Writer: Christopher Stocks

’31.3 Polygon’ glassware, £3,200, by Omer Arbel, for OAO Works. ‘Re-wool’ fabric, £123 per m, by Margrethe Odgaard, for Kvadrat. Interiors: Amy Heffernan

Best pipe dream
We’ve got beautiful bike storage on tap

Backyard bike storage is rarely regarded as ripe for design deliverance, but Italian architects Parisotto + Formenton and Natalino Malasorti of CEA Design thought otherwise, conceiving this set of pipes to hang your handlebars on. ‘Hook’ is, in fact, a makeover of the outdoor tap, in gleaming stainless steel, but features a series of accessories, including a nifty bike hanger. We’ve perched on it our favourite new city bike, Van Moof’s ‘Electrified S2’, complete with invisible batteries, stealth locking and a trusty turbo button. Meanwhile, go the extra yard with Wall & Decò’s ‘Not A Stroke’ all-weather wallpaper, paired with the drum-like ‘Cosimo’ coffee table, designed by Clodagh for Restoration Hardware. Try beating that, we say. Writer: Christopher Stocks

‘Hook’ tap system, price on request, by Parisotto + Formenton and Natalino Malasorti, for CEA Design. ‘Electrified S2’ city bike, from £2,398, by Van Moof. ‘Not A Stroke’ wallpaper, part of the Out System collection, price on request, by Bertero Projects, for Wall & Decò. ‘Cosimo’ coffee table, $530, by Clodagh, for RH, Restoration Hardware. Interiors: Olly Mason

Best shape shifters
Form follows function in fabulous fashion

Get in the right frame of mind with Inga Sempé’s ‘Vitrail’ wall mirrors, here set against a backdrop of Dedar’s bouclé-textured ‘Karandash’ fabric. Inspired by antique Venetian mirrors, which often included smaller pieces of mirror around a central looking-glass, ‘Vitrail’ comes in four different shapes, each incorporating coloured mirror-glass strips set in rubber frames. Meanwhile, Bang & Olufsen’s ‘Beosound Edge’ speaker, designed by Michael Anastassiades, forms a perfect circle and features proximity sensors that activate its otherwise-invisible touch controls. The volume can be increased or lowered by rolling the speaker from side to side. Writer: Christopher Stocks

‘Vitrail’ mirrors, from £309, by Inga Sempé, for Magis. ‘Beosound Edge’ speaker, £2,900, by Michael Anastassiades, for Bang & Olufsen. ‘Karandash’ fabric, £162 per sq m, by Dedar. ‘Primavera’ tiles, price on request, by Barber & Osgerby, for Mutina. Interiors: Amy Heffernan

Best earth tones
Burnt hues and elemental forms to set the hearth aflame

Inspired by Alfredo Häberli’s simple-yet-effective ‘Artà’ tiles, created for Mallorcan cement tile specialist Huguet, we set off on a quest to build our own equatorial retreat. The ochre palette, strong pattern and smooth finish of the tiles set the tone for the rest of our finds, which include a Walter Knoll rug inspired by the African desert; a monumental terracotta pedestal by Georgian outfit Rooms; sculptural metal coffee tables by Henge and Holly Hunt; and crackled glass vessels by Kengo Kuma for Lasvit. Taking centre stage is the ‘Liberty’ lounger by Dutch artist Joep van Lieshout, who trusted his creative instincts to handcraft the angular American walnut chaise longue without any preparatory sketches or measuring equipment. Writer: Léa Teuscher

Terracotta pedestal, €5,000, by Rooms. ‘Be Mine’ coffee table, price on request, by Massimo Castagna, for Henge. ‘Yakisugi’ glass, £130; vase, £410, both by Kengo Kuma, for Lasvit. ‘Sitawi’ rug, £18,111, by Walter Knoll. ‘Liberty’ lounger, £7,007, by Joep van Lieshout, for Moooi. ‘Artà’ tiles, £131 per sq m, by Alfredo Häberli, for Huguet. ‘Ronin Drink’ table, price on request, by Holly Hunt. Oak flooring, with Dark coco oil finish, from £105 per sq m, by Dinesen.  Harvey. Interiors: Maria Sobrino

Best pigeonhole
Your award is in the post

Most of us hate to be pigeonholed, but that’s probably because we don’t have ‘the mail box’, designed by Jinsik Kim. Slim, discreet and elegant, this brushed stainless steel box hugs the wall, its curved top and plain back concealing a rack of storage slots on each side. It marries perfectly with Jaime Hayon’s ‘Lightolight’ lamp, one of a series of wall and floor lamps that feature an upward-facing cup shaded by a rotating dome, giving a soft, indirect light, as well as Giuseppe Bavuso’s ‘moon’ door, which comes in numerous finishes with matching handles. As always, everything hinges on good design. Writer: Christopher Stocks

‘The Mail Box’, KRW1,400,000 ($1,250), by Jinsik Kim, for Laifo. ‘Lightolight’ lamp, £625, by Jaime Hayon, for Parachilna. Kings envelope in Nile Blue, £12 for 25, by Smythson. ‘Moon’ door, price on request, by Giuseppe Bavuso, for Rimadesio. Paint in Lichen, £45 for 2.5 litres, by Farrow & Ball. Interiors: Maria Sobrino

Best bedtime story
Once upon a time in the land of beautiful things…

And so to bed, specifically to Porada’s sumptuous ‘Killian’ bed. Designed by Maurizio Marconato and Terry Zappa, it has a solid Canaletto walnut frame and headboard, upholstered in a range of Porada fabrics, while a sliver of brass adds an extra luxe touch. Where better to snuggle down with the latest titles from Penguin’s Pelican series, first launched by Allen Lane in 1936 to introduce serious non-fiction to a general readership. Sporting iconic blue covers, the series was discontinued in 1984 but relaunched in 2014, and recent titles include Walter Sinnott-Armstrong’s Think Again: How to Reason and Argue and Roger Eatwell and Matthew Goodwin’s National Populism. Perfect bedtime reading for the well-informed. Writer: Christopher Stocks

‘Killian’ bed, £6,490, by Marconato & Zappa, for Porada. ‘Kio’ sheet, £360; pillow case, £140 per pair, both by Society Limonta. Books, part of the Pelican Series, from £9 each, by Penguin. Interiors: Matthew Morris

Best dream factory
Assembly-line chic from our clean, mean glam team

As glass acts go, these are pretty hard to follow. Gianfranco Ferré Home’s ‘Jenga’ coffee table is constructed entirely from rectangles of light- and dark-coloured glass, impeccably assembled without visible joints. More sculptural still is the ‘Fusion’ bench, with a marble core holding stacked acrylic rods, by Chiara Pellicano and Edoardo Giammarioli of Rome-based ‘Marty’ console for Visionnaire contrasts ribbed and smooth glass to architectural effect, while the South Korean designer Jihye Kang’s ‘Purity’ side table pairs clear acrylic rods with a stainless-steel base. Extra brilliance is provided by Stefan Diez’s cylindrical ‘Guise’ hanging light for Vibia, and Angelo Mangiarotti’s re-editioned ‘Lari’ table lamp from 1978, hand-blown in a single piece. Clear winners, one and all. Writer: Christopher Stocks

‘Jenga’ table, €9,700, by Livio Ballabio, for Gianfranco Ferré Home. ‘Guise’ hanging lamp, €1,625, by Stefan Diez, for Vibia. ‘Fusion’ bench, €25,000, by Millim Studio, for Secondome. ‘Marty’ console, price on request, by Marco Piva, for Visionnaire. ‘Lari’ table lamp, €850, by Angelo Mangiarotti, for Karakter. ‘Purity’ table, $4,500, by Jihye Kang. Vertical neon lights, price on request, by Kemp London.  Interiors: Olly Mason

Best natural selection
Our leafy urban oasis brings the outdoors in

We were moved by the principles of biophilic design to create a space that seamlessly blends the domestic and the natural. Inspiration came from crafts-focused brand Another Country, whose ‘Ori’ mirror is hinged so it can be oriented to guide daylight into a room, thus engendering a sense of wellbeing. In a further attempt to bring the outside in, we looked at Swiss company WormUp, whose home composter is an elegant alternative to standard composting solutions, with its structure of modular, sleek burnt clay cylinders. Our interior garden space is complete with Luca Nichetto’s ‘Esedra’ sunbed – a terrace lounger good enough to hold its own indoors – and Quartier’s ‘Geta’ planters, their silhouettes inspired by the eponymous Japanese wooden sandals, while Farrow & Ball’s new ‘Paean Black’ provides a serene backdrop. Writer: Rosa Bertoli

‘Ängsmark’ rug, £2,056, by Ilse Crawford, for Kasthall. ‘Vermi’ compost bin, from €265, by WormUp. ‘Ori’ mirror, £1,100, by Catherine Aitken, for Another Country. ‘Tivoli’ watering can, £180, by Normann Copenhagen. ‘Esedra’ sunbed, £2,825, by Luca Nichetto, for Ethimo. ‘Geta’ planters, from £22, by Quartier, from Bonds. ‘984’ side table, £702, by Cuno Frommherz, for Rolf Benz. ‘Oak Dublin’ flooring, £110 per sq m, by Kährs. ‘Paean Black’ Estate emulsion, £45 for 2.5 litres, by Farrow & Ball.  Interiors: Olly Mason

Best last supper
We like to dine in divine style

We love worshipping at the temple of fine design and when we come across furnishings that transcend the norm, we offer up high praise. Take, ‘Ordinal’, a sleek new collection of contemporary dining tables designed by Michael Anastassiades for Cassina. The version pictured here features an oval tabletop in solid Canaletto walnut and ultra-slim legs, set diagonally to leave more room under the table for diners. This was a challenge for Cassina’s research unit, but the resulting piece is strong and stable. We’ve matched it with a great design debut – young Italian Francesco Meda’s supremely comfortable, lightweight ‘Woody’ chairs for Molteni & C. Featuring flowing lines and leather seats, they don’t contain any screws as they are entirely crafted of seamlessly jointed solid ash. Writer: Léa Teuscher

‘Woody’ chairs, from £750 each, by Francesco Meda, for Molteni & C. ‘Ordinal’ dining table, £2,945, by Michael Anastassiades, for Cassina. ‘Rock’ candle and tealight holders, from £75, by Tom Dixon. ‘Pelham’ linen in Snow, part of the Plainly II collection, £88 per m, by Mark Alexander. ‘Seagrass’ flooring in Fine SG Herringbone, £34 per sq m, by Crucial Trading. Interiors: Matthew Morris

Best lost weekend
Fun and games with check mates and culinary cocktails

Jean Nouvel’s new take on the games compendium is turning the tables on our lazy day diversions. Crafted by Bottega Ghianda, the ‘Enigme a Ttics’ cabinet-cum-table is made from pearwood with ebony and maple inlays, doors and drawers concealing the pieces for chess, game of the goose, draughts and backgammon. With playful inlaid metal tiling from De Castelli as our backdrop, we’d happily hole up with the table and a cocktail or two from Matthew Biancaniello, the pop-up bar impresario who coined the phrase ‘Eat your Drink’ and who has recently taken his ‘gastronomy in a glass’ to new levels with his Mon-Li 12-course liquid tasting menu at Malibu’s Calamigos Beach Club. From the menu, we’ve selected the Caesar salad with romaine-infused Dolin Blanc vermouth, parmesan-infused dolin Blanc vermouth, a nest of roasted onion sprouts and a quail’s egg, and the St Lucian sea moss-infused Cráneo Mezcal. Writers: Emma Moore, Carole Dixon

‘Enigme a Tics’ gaming table, £30,650, by Jean Nouvel, for Bottega Ghianda. ‘Yoko’ tiles, from €1,525 per sq m, by Leonardo Sonnoli, for De Castelli.  Interiors: Amy Heffernan

Best brew
A beauty treatment that’s just our cup of tea

Things aren’t always what they seem at the kitchen table; keeping skincare fresh and effective means a facial routine occasionally infiltrates the cooking zone.

Oway’s Winter and Summer Solstice tea blends are designed not to be drunk but splashed onto skin to enhance masking or cleansing regimes. An Italian organic hair and skincare brand, Oway boasts zero-miles biodynamic extracts and micronised plants among its ingredients, grown for the most part on its estate in the hills of Bologna.

And we didn’t have to go too far from there to find our kettle, designed by Milan-based Michele De Lucchi for Alessi. Our favoured brewing carafe, by Nendo for Zens, we had to fly in from China, while the patterned porcelain cup is an international effort from Dutch designers Scholten & Baijings, Japanese ceramicist 1616 Arita and US textile specialists Maharam.

Our bronze tea scoop came from Danish designer Alexander Hinnerskov and the cloth is a stunning new release from the Anni Albers archive, by London’s Christopher Farr. Writer: Emma Moore

Tray, £45, by Lex Pott, for Hay. ‘Stone’ carafe, £33, by Nendo, for Zens. Winter Solstice blend, €38 per 30g, by Oway. Cup, $33, by Scholten & Baijings, for Maharam. ‘Plissé’ kettle, £79, by Michele De Lucchi, for Alessi. Tea scoop, €93, by Alexander Hinnerskov. ‘Orchestra’ fabric, from £150 per m, by Anni Albers, for Christopher Farr. Interiors: Amy Heffernan

Best iridescence
We take a shine to two dazzling shows of brilliance

Known for sculptural furniture, Hervé Van der Straeten is a dab hand at creating what he calls ‘visual intrigue’. And there is no shortage of that in the Paris-based designer’s ‘Borderline’ console, which features a rainbow-hued coating with an oil-slick sheen created using the complex process of metallic vaporisation. Its wall-mounted, fragmented elements create a kaleidoscopic effect, an optical tease that questions function and physics, or in the designer’s words, edges ‘a step further in the deconstruction of structure’. Another outbreak of riotous colour was spotted on Prada’s A/W18 women’s catwalk. This oversized nylon coat is decked with electric pops of fluorescence that bleed into a more sombre base colour. The digital print was inspired by city lights distorted through a window on a rainy night. Writer: Harriet Lloyd-Smith

‘Borderline’ console, price on request, by Hervé Van der Straeten. Coat, £2,690, by Prada.  Set design: Eleonora Succi

Best meal on wheels
We’re big fans of culinary contrivances that move with the times

While the will to eat well may be there, the time and space to whip up a nutrient-packed feast may not. Here to help is Italian fine cabinetry expert Giorgetti, which has designed the ‘Alfred’ kitchen to make things compact, ergonomic and mobile for the home chef. Made from Canaletto walnut with wheels and a marble top, the drawers swivel or slide, offering ample storage in a compact package. London’s Harrods has provided our time- and nutrient-efficient food component. Its overhauled, expanded food hall now includes a souped-up greengrocery department with a vegetable butchery service that is part educative, part timesaving, part show-off. Whether you wish to try a new vegetable and need chopping guidance, want your sides sliced and freshly seasoned (anyone for aubergine and miso butter or panch phoran cauliflower?) or simply need your carrots julienned, waste-free craft-cutting is on hand. Writer: Emma Moore

‘Alfred’ trolley, £12,961, by Giorgetti. ‘Mesh’ knives, from £35 each, by Normann Copenhagen. ‘Monolithic’ casserole, $200; frying pan, $140, both by Naoto Fukasawa, for Jia Inc. Vegetables, from a selection, from Harrods. Interiors: Olly Mason